"A Journey with Charles Cary Rumsey" by Mary Beth Parrinello

In the winter of 2007, I was leaving a Sunday afternoon poetry reading at Burchfield Penney Art Center, which was in Rockwell Hall at the time. The Charles Cary Rumsey Collection had been located in the hallway across from the coat-racks. Of course I casually looked at it every visit, but that Sunday afternoon my world changed forever!

As I was putting on my coat my eyes locked eyes with the 1921 photo of Charles Cary Rumsey and I became obsessed! (Think "Somewhere In Time" movie and book). As soon as I returned home I went to my book case that has so many books on the history of the Delaware District I have dubbed it "History Museum Annex". I began to read everything I had on him. The next few weekends were spent at the real History Museum Library and the special collections room at the Central Library.

Over the next year I will blog all the fascinating (at least to me) details and connections to my favorite artist and polo player, Charles Cary Rumsey; a.k.a. "Pad" (a nickname likely given by his governess).

Mary Beth Parrinello

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When not time traveling, working out, or hanging out at the Burchfield Penney, Mary Beth Parrinello is the religion teacher in the Montessori program at Nardin Academy in Buffalo, N.Y. She also volunteers her time at Westminster Presbytarian Church, C.G. Jung Center, and Junior League of Buffalo, which was founded by Mary Harriman Rumsey, Charles Cary Rumsey's wife!